EFFICACY OF PROTON PUMP INHIBITORS IN CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA COMBINED WITH GASTROESOPHAGEAL REFLUX DISEASE AND REFLUX ESOPHAGITIS Yu. G. Antipkin, V. F. Lapshin, T. R. Umanets, А. А. Buratynska, N. G. Chumachenko, L. S. Stepanova, S. I. Tolkach O. Lukyanova Institute of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology National Academy of Medical Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine Abstract. The most common comorbid pathology in children with asthma is gastroesophageal reflux disease associated with reflux esophagitis, which ranges from 32 % to 80 %. To date, the effectiveness of proton pump inhibitors in this category of children and their effect on the level of asthma control remains controversial. The aim is to study the effectiveness of treatment with proton pump inhibitors in children with asthma, combined with gastroesophageal reflux disease and reflux esophagitis. Materials and methods. Forty-six children aged 6–17 years with asthma combined with gastroesophageal reflux disease and reflux esophagitis were examined. They were taking omeprazole 20 mg once daily for 4-8 weeks to control the symptoms of gastroesophageal dysfunction. Criteria for the effectiveness of the prescribed treatment were the dynamics of symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease and the level of asthma control, which were assessed at 4 and 8 weeks of treatment. Assessment of symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease was performed according to the questionnaire. The degree of control of asthma was determined using the Asthma Control Test. Results and discussion. There was a complete regression of symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease after 4 weeks of treatment with omeprazole in 40 (87.0 %) patients. Only 6 (46.2 %) patients with severe asthma had episodic symptoms of gastroesophageal dysfunction after 4 weeks of omeprazole treatment that were not recorded at 8 weeks of treatment. An increase in the number of children with controlled asthma was observed with omeprazole treatment, but no significant difference was found. Conclusions. Proton pump inhibitors are effective in controlling the symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux disease in children with asthma, but not likely in the short-term level of asthma control. Key words: asthma, treatment, children, reflux esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease.